Grow Champignon Mushrooms At Home
Growing mushrooms indoors is very easy. And, what’s great, once harvested, they continue to grow. Before we begin, however, let’s review some essential information.
As is known, the champignon ( Agaricus bisporus ) is a mushroom widely used in cooking. Furthermore, both the stem and the cap are used.
The fungus, in general, is an organism that differs from plants due to the absence of roots, stem and leaves. It does not contain chlorophyll and feeds on organic matter coming from the outside. In the case of champignons, it is an edible species.
Having no seeds, the mushrooms grow from the spores. These, when they find the right conditions of humidity, germinate and produce hyphae, which branch out forming a mass called mycelium.
And now, take note and learn how to grow mushrooms at home!
Growing mushrooms at home: advantages
- You have the satisfaction of producing your own food at home.
- It is an excellent educational opportunity as it gives the little ones the experience of seeing mushrooms grow, which is impossible in an uncontrolled environment.
- It is an efficient and productive activity, as a whole crop can be obtained from a single bale.
- Growing champignons is extremely easy, and the savings are much higher than buying from the supermarket or grocery store.
- You are assured of consuming unprocessed and genuinely natural food.
How to grow champignon mushrooms at home?
To grow mushrooms indoors, it is necessary to have a dedicated space. If you have a garden or courtyard with land, you can use part of it for cultivation.
If you live in an apartment, it is best to opt for an elongated planter to be placed in a dark place. At this point, remember that champignons, being mushrooms, don’t need a lot of sunlight.
That said, growing champignon mushrooms is easier than it looks and production can continue until the substrate runs out.
Material
- Straw.
- Water.
- Compost.
- Grain mycelium (you can also buy pre-grown mushroom bales).
- A box (preferably made of polystyrene, since it does not decompose, and helps to maintain the right humidity and temperature). This box will also need a lid, so make sure you get one.
Method
Before starting, it is recommended to boil the straw. This is to prevent it from germinating and to eliminate any traces of fungi already present.
- Mix the compost with the straw evenly, moistening it a little. If you want, you can add coffee grounds to feed the compost and encourage the growth and development of mushrooms.
- Put the mixture, also known as substrate, in the box. Keep in mind that the more substrate there is, the greater the mushroom production, so add as much as possible.
- Evenly distribute the mycelium in grains on the substrate and cover it with a finger of moistened mulch. Sprinkle with water.
- Cover the box with the lid to prevent light from entering. Leave it covered for 5-8 days. It is important that the box remains moist for the entire period preceding the appearance of a whitish haze on the substrate. This means that the mycelia have colonized the substrate.
- At this point, use another lid for the box that leaves room for the mushrooms to grow. Make a central hole in the lid to let in some light, but always indirectly. Apply cling film to keep the moisture and heat out.
- It is important to keep the humidity at 80%, without ever exceeding. If you want, you can water the inside of the lid instead of watering the mushrooms directly. When the water has evaporated, you will know that it is time to add more water.
- You will get the first harvest after 20 days (approximately), when the hats reach a diameter between 5 and 8 cm.
- Collect them when the foils under the hat are pink. Twist the stem slightly until it separates from the substrate.
If you have followed all the steps correctly, you should get a new crop every week. So you can enjoy your organic mushrooms and prepare your favorite recipes.
Some recommendations for growing mushrooms
As you can see, growing mushrooms is easy, but it takes some patience and dedication. Keep the following tips in mind for excellent results:
- Make sure the grow space has good ventilation. This way you will avoid bad smells and other inconveniences.
- Use a quality compost, because it is from it that the mushrooms get the nutrients to grow.
- The optimum temperature should be between 22 and 27 ° C. A higher temperature can become a problem. If it exceeds 35 ° C, the mushrooms stop growing.
- Use a sprayer for watering.
- Wash tools before and after using them to avoid contamination.
- The ideal place to grow mushrooms is a dark room or garage.
